Just a Fast Food Joint?
Chick-fil-A shows its support to the Aliso Viejo community.
“It makes you feel good to know that you can help support the community,” said Mike Ricks, franchise operator of Chick-fil-A in Aliso Viejo.
“We distributed 8,500 sandwiches to the community before we opened — all free,” Ricks said.
Soon after the restaurant's Sept. 1, 2011 opening, Chick-fil-A began supporting Aliso Viejo schools. During a Teacher Appreciation Day in September, teachers were invited to come to the restaurant for a free meal.
As part of a third grade reading event, 750 Aliso Viejo third graders received a coupon for a free kids meal. At the Canyon Vista Elementary Jog-A-Thon, Chick-fil-A provided food for the volunteers and handed out coupons for free meals.
At local events, Chick-fil-A’s black and white cow can be seen wearing a shirt with a slogan that promotes chicken.
The restaurant donated candy to the Aliso Viejo Community Association’s Fall Harvest in Grand Park while its cow greeted families. At Founder’s Day, food and drinks were available at a booth with the red and white Chick-fil-A sign.
As a Gold Sponsor for the AYSO Glory Days Cup, the restaurant distributed 450 sandwiches to the players in the tournament.
Chick-fil-A also holds Spirit Nights, in which customers can bring in flyers so that 20 percent of their purchase is donated to the participating school or organization.
Ricks said he enjoys being able to have an impact on the community.
“Hopefully, within the next few years we’ll be able to do more,” he said.
A native of Panama City, Florida, Ricks has been working for Chick-fil-A for nine years. He started out scrubbing floors as a team member while he was in high school. After college, Ricks entered a managerial program with the goal of becoming a franchise operator.
Ricks said he and his wife, Erin, are happy here.
“We fell in love with the Aliso Viejo area and southern Orange County. We couldn’t ask to be in a better place,” he said.
With Chick-fil-A having a smaller presence on the west coast, Ricks said it is a goal to further build the brand here in Aliso Viejo.
“We’d like to do nothing but sponsor this community and to be known as not just a fast food restaurant,” Ricks said.
M
8:05 am on Sunday, January 22, 2012
Not just a fast food is right.....political activist.....In January 2011, various news outlets[31][32] reported that Chick-fil-A was co-sponsoring a marriage conference along with the Pennsylvania Family Institute, a 501(c)3 organization that seeks to "strengthen families by restoring to public life the traditional, foundational principles and values essential for the well-being of society". PFI had filed an amicus brief against the trial ruling striking down Proposition 8 in California, and had also lobbied against a state effort to ban discrimination in Pennsylvania on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. At the time the WinShape Foundation was also quoted as stating it would not allow same-sex couples to participate in its marriage retreats. In response to the reported connections between PFI and WinShape and to Chick-fil-A's statements, students at several colleges and universities formed grassroots efforts to ban or remove the company from their campuses.
Responding, Chick-fil-A said: First and foremost, thanks for your patience as we made sure we gathered the facts in regards to recent postings. We have determined that one of our independent Restaurant Operators in Pennsylvania was asked to provide sandwiches to two Art of Marriage video seminars.
Through WinShape, Chick-fil-A has given $3 million to anti-gay social conservative groups since 2003, with a total of $2 million in 2009 alone.
Kathleen K
10:28 am on Sunday, January 22, 2012
The food is good. The service is great. The staff is wonderful. I love bringing my family to this establishment. I believe I've even seen Mr. Ricks working the drive-through! What a wonderful addition to Aliso Viejo.